Professor Vik Dhillon
School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences
Head of Astrophysics Research Cluster
Professor of Astrophysics


Full contact details
School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences
E34
Hicks Building
Hounsfield Road
葫芦影业
S3 7RH
- Profile
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I am a Professor of Astrophysics in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of 葫芦影业, and an Affiliated Researcher at the Instituto de Astrof铆sica de Canarias (IAC) on Tenerife.
Prior to moving to 葫芦影业 in 1998, I worked at the Royal Greenwich Observatory, first at Herstmonceux/Sussex, then on La Palma, and finally in Cambridge.
I was awarded the Royal Astronomical Society Jackson-Gwilt Medal in 2013. From 2014-2019, I was an ERC Advanced Grant holder.
My primary research interests are in the field of close binary stars, in which at least one stellar component is a white dwarf, neutron star or black hole.
This work has led me and my collaborators to develop a series of high-speed cameras, ULTRACAM, ULTRASPEC and HiPERCAM, as well as a robotic telescope on La Palma, pt5m.
I am also interested in observing gravitational-wave sources in the Universe discovered by the LIGO Scientific Collaboration, most likely emitted by close binary stars.
My effort in this area is currently focused on the construction of GOTO, a wide-field survey telescope on La Palma that will search for electromagnetic counterparts to gravitational-wave transients.
Career history
- Postdoctoral Research Fellow (1990-1992, University of Sussex)
- Staff Astronomer (1992-1996, Royal Greenwich Observatory, La Palma)
- Staff Astronomer (1996-1998, Royal Greenwich Observatory, Cambridge)
- Lecturer/Senior Lecturer/Reader (1998-2007, University of 葫芦影业)
- Professor of Astrophysics (2007-present, University of 葫芦影业)
- Qualifications
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- Physics with Astronomy BSc (1984-1987, University of Sussex)
- Observational Astrophysics DPhil (1987-1990, University of Sussex/Royal Greenwich Observatory, Herstmonceux)
- Awarded the Jackson-Gwilt Medal in 2013 by the Royal Astronomical Society.
- Awarded an Advanced Grant in 2014 by the European Research Council.
- Awarded Affiliated Researcher status at the Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias.
- Research interests
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My primary research interests are in the field of close binary stars, in which at least one stellar component is a white dwarf, neutron star or black hole.
This work has led me and my collaborators to develop a series of high-speed cameras, ULTRACAM, ULTRASPEC and HiPERCAM, as well as a robotic telescope on La Palma, pt5m.
I am also interested in observing gravitational-wave sources in the Universe discovered by the LIGO Scientific Collaboration, most likely emitted by close binary stars.
My effort in this area is currently focused on the construction of GOTO, a wide-field survey telescope on La Palma that will search for electromagnetic counterparts to gravitational-wave transients.
- Publications
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Show: Featured publications All publications
Featured publications
Journal articles
All publications
Journal articles
Chapters
Conference proceedings papers
Theses / Dissertations
Preprints
- Research group
- Grants
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- Consolidated Grant for 葫芦影业 Astrophysics, STFC, 拢1.3M (2021-2024, PI)
- European Research Council (ERC) Advanced Grant, 3.5Meuros (2014-2019, PI)
- Consolidated Grant for 葫芦影业 Astrophysics, STFC, 拢1.2M (2015-2018, CoI)
- Consolidated Grant for 葫芦影业 Astrophysics, STFC, 拢613K (2012-2015, CoI)
- Teaching interests
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- PHY320: Nuclear Astrophysics
- PHY326: Dark Matter and the Universe
- Teaching activities
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Undergraduate taught courses (recent)
- PHY105 Observing the Night Sky (1998-2010)
- PHY213 Stellar Structure and Evolution (1998-2014)
- PHY217 Astronomical Techniques (2010-2014)
Projects/Field Trips/Year Abroad schemes
- PHY319 Astronomy project (Field trip to La Palma)
- NUL301 Industrial Experience (Year abroad on La Palma)
- Professional activities and memberships
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- Head of the Astrophysics Research Cluster, University of 葫芦影业.
- Past member of the STFC Astronomy Grants Panel (AGP), Projects Peer Review Panel (PPRP), Fellowships Panel, and the Panel for the Allocation of Telescope Time (PATT).
- Past (ad-hoc) member of the STFC Particle Physics, Astronomy and Nuclear Physics Science Committee (PPAN).
- Past member of the European Southern Observatory's (ESO) Observing Pro-grammes Committee (OPC).
- Past member of the Instrumentation Working Group (IWG) of the Isaac Newton Group of telescopes (ING).
- Past member of the Royal Astronomical Society Committee on Diversity in Astronomy and Geophysics (CDAG).
- Member of the European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT) UK Steering Commit-tee.
- Principal Investigator of ULTRACAM, ULTRASPEC and HiPERCAM.
- Fellow of the Institute of Physics.
- Chartered Physicist.
- Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society.
- Member of the International Astronomical Union.
- Member of the Steering Committee for the WEAVE Spectrograph on the William Herschel Telescope
- Member of the Science Advisory Committee for the Isaac Newton Group of Telescopes
- Chair of the Executive Board of GOTO (the Gravitational-wave Optical Transient Observer)
Public engagement
- Deep Sky Videos: Contributor from 葫芦影业 to YouTube channel 鈥
- I also provide astronomy talks to local schools and amateur societies.